Ukrinform correspondent Roman Sushchenko detained in Russia

Roman Sushchenko, a correspondent of the Ukrainian National News Agency Ukrinform, was detained on Friday, September 30, in Moscow following Russian media reports accusing him of ‘espionage’.

Ukrinform is indignant at the illegal arrest of own correspondent, who has been working for the agency since 2002, and is Ukrinform own correspondent in France since 2010.

Ukrinform stresses that Roman at the time of arrest was on vacation and arrived in Moscow on personal purposes. He was detained in Moscow on the day of arrival and the Russian side, in violation of all international rules, didn’t inform anybody on his detention - neither his wife nor diplomatic institutions, or Ukrinform – his place of employment. His wife Anzhela, who still is France, learnt about the detention of husband only on Sunday morning after calling relatives as she couldn’t contact with him for two days. However, his relatives were speaking very carefully, avoiding even the word ‘detained’.

Immediately after this, Anzhela Sushchenko called ‘Hot Line’ of the Ukrainian Embassy in Russia, and then sent to the Embassy an official statement about her husband's disappearance.

As of today, Ukrinform and Anthelia Sushchenko concluded an agreement with famous Russian lawyer Mark Feygin who will defend Roman Sushchenko.

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